Trial ordered for Lansdale man accused of providing alcohol to minors

LANSDALE — A Lansdale man accused of furnishing minors with alcohol during a drinking party at his residence last October was ordered by a judge to stand trial on two misdemeanor criminal counts in connection with the alleged incident.

Michael Allen Steffens, 48, of the 1100 block of Beechwood Avenue, is set to be formally arraigned in county court on April 23 on one count each of first-degree misdemeanor corruption of minors and third-degree misdemeanor furnishing liquor to minors, after District Judge Harold Borek of Lansdale held the charges for trial at a preliminary hearing on March 6.

Lansdale police said that shortly after midnight on Oct. 12, 2013, officers responded to Steffens’ home for a report of an unconscious individual.

Upon arrival, police said, officers discovered a male subject unconscious and intoxicated — it was later determined he was 18 years old and had a blood alcohol concentration of .183-percent.

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Officers then spoke with Steffens, who said that he had “just woken up” and didn’t recognize the male who was passed out.

Police said they believed an underage drinking party was happening inside the house; Steffens repeatedly insisted that there was no one else in the house, then told officers that “he did not believe anyone else was on location but was not sure.”

After officers told Steffens that they had seen several people inside the home, police said, he went inside, then came back a few moments later and insisted no one was there, claiming that beer that was on the patio was his.

However, according to police, shortly after that, six subjects emerged from the basement of the home — five of whom were under the age of 21 and two of whom were under the age of 18. Police said the group came up from the basement “after being told to come outside by (Steffens).”

One of the minors had a blood alcohol concentration of .04-percent and was transported to Lansdale police headquarters to be picked up by a parent. At the station, according to police, the individual provided a statement that Steffens not only was aware of minors drinking at his house, but had been drinking with them.